Mornings at the 'Sou
by zosimos
Summary: Musebox: At least no one is throwing eggs against the wall today.


Hermes followed Edward everywhere.

The other dogs that had invaded the 'Sou were pretty attached to the owners that they claimed, but they ran free outside. Between Nick and Takeo they'd installed a dog flap on the kitchen door; it was big enough for all the dogs to get in and out (with the exception of Jules, Sam Winchester's retriever). The dogs used the flap with abandon - dogs went in and out of their own accord, but Hermes rarely went outside without Edward.

Edward didn't always seem to notice the dog around his feet. He moved around it expertly, shifted so the dog could sit next to him and scratched ears absentmindedly. It was fascinating to watch this bizarre partnership as it had sprung up - Hermes had learned to bring Edward pencils upon command.

Sariel was watching this performance from the breakfast nook in the kitchen. He had been pushing scrambled eggs around his plate, absolutely convinced they were made with milk despite Kenshin's assurances that they were not. Edward was wandering about the kitchen, reading a book with one hand and somehow managing to make himself breakfast with the other. Hermes followed him, cleaning up messes on the floor but not jumping up Edward's leg lest he trip him.

"I keep waiting for it to be a train wreck," Kenshin said, amused.

"I think the dog is his familiar," Sariel said into his coffee.

"Edward's not a witch," Kenshin murmured.

"Male witches are called warlocks," Sariel pointed out. "And it's creepy."

"'m an alchemist," Edward called from across the kitchen. "And I can hear you."

Sariel and Kenshin exchanged amused expressions, and Kenshin folded the newspaper closed. "You shouldn't cook and read," he retorted. "What if you get grease on your book?"

"I won't get grease on my - _fuck_!"

"Exactly."

"What book is he so glued to he can't put it down to make himself breakfast?" Sariel asked, stealing the comics page from the paper.

"Something in a language I don't speak."

"_Alchemia Andreae Libavii_." Edward said, shooing Hermes before him. He put his plate and the book on the table, sitting between Kenshin and Sariel. Hermes hopped up into the chair opposite and put both front paws on the table, tail wagging rapidly.

"Down," Kenshin said firmly. Hermes put his ears back and gave Kenshin a defiant look, before glancing at Edward. "Down, Hermes." The dog ignored him and continued to focus on Edward. Kenshin sighed and looked at Edward. "He is your dog," Kenshin complained. "Doesn't listen to me either."

"Hermes," Edward said, and Hermes got down and came around the table, parking his behind next to Edward's chair.

"Completely unfair," Kenshin commented.

"_Alchemia Andreae Libavii_?" Sariel repeated. "Lucky." He eyed the tome and then realized that Edward was staring at him. "Could I, uh - when you're through-?"

"Maybe," Edward said. He fed the dog a piece of bacon and looked at Sariel's cold eggs, then down at his own. "What's wrong with the eggs?"

"Elric dairy paranoia," Kenshin said.

"What, is there milk in them?" Edward looked at his in concern. Kenshin rolled his eyes and shook his head, chair scraping out behind him.

"You made them, I'd hope you would know!"

Edward shrugged and started shoveling eggs into his mouth. Sariel sighed whimsically. "I miss the midnight pancake parties."

"I don't," Kenshin said. "It always seems like you two end up a giant sticky mess and somehow glued to each other by maple syrup. Takes a garden hose to separate you." He cleaned up his own plate and then worked on tidying Edward's mess automatically. "Can you imagine trying to get the syrup out of dog fur? No, we're not doing that again."

Edward chewed thoughtfully. "We should go on vacation."

Kenshin raised an eyebrow. "We just got back from Japan at the end of last month, I thought you never wanted to see another plane again?"

"No, not flying somewhere," Edward said. "Road trip!"

Sariel laughed. "In what car?"

Edward thought about that, then deflated slightly. "Oh, that is right." There were only two cars right now at the 'Sou - matching black '67 Chevy Impalas; neither of which would be loaned out for an Elric-induced "road trip." "I'll think of something."

"Do that, and get back to me," Kenshin teased lightly.

Edward looked over at Sariel as if seeing him for the first time. "Hey, you can zap people places, right?"

Sariel shook his head. "Nope, that's not in my repertoire. Try Cas."

"But I've seen you do the dematerialize thingy."

"That's just to the Aetheric Realm, where the other angels live. I have to make a pit stop there first, and no, can't take mortals to the Aetheric Realm."

"Is that a rule?"

"No, it's - look, you'll explode or your eyes will go gooey or something, I don't know what exactly, but it's not pretty." Sariel looked aggravated. "It's not one of those restrictions I'm willing to take a chance on pushing."

"You? Actually obeying a rule for once?" Kenshin closed the dishwasher after loading it. "Color me shocked."

"Well I don't like the idea of my friends turning inside out," Sariel said.

"Aww, he called us his_ friends_."

"You're still the evil twin," Sariel informed Edward.

Edward stroked his chin. "Guess I need to get started on that goatee, then."

Kenshin stopped by to kiss the top of Edward's head. "Ed, love, don't take this the wrong way, but if you try to grow a goatee I'm disconnecting your automail and shaving it off."

Sariel laughed at Edward's expression. "I happen to think I'd look great with facial hair," Edward returned. Kenshin patted his shoulder.

"Yeah," Sariel said. "You'd probably look like dad."

There was a brief silence while the horror registered on Edward's face. "Thanks," Kenshin said. "I think that did far more to put him off the idea than I ever could."

"Not a problem," Sariel said with a shudder. "Wouldn't want to mistake him, after all, and accidentally break his nose or something." Hermes barked and startled all three of them, but Edward rubbed his nose, broke off another piece of bacon and fed it to the dog.

"You spoil him rotten," Kenshin said disapprovingly.

"That's why he likes me," Edward said. Hermes barked again and Edward laughed.

Kenshin rolled his eyes and patted Edward's shoulder again. "I'm doing laundry, is everything in the hamper?"

"Yeah," Edward said. He tilted his face up and this time Kenshin could kiss him properly. He grinned at Kenshin as Kenshin vanished into the dining room, which connected around to the stairs.

"So," Sariel said. "Can I look at the book, since you're eating?" Edward put his hand on the book and the two Edwards stared at each in the morning sunlight.


End file.
